I usually go to the gym in the morning, which means that I roll out of bed, toss on some leggings and a sports bra, throw my hair into a ponytail, and drag myself out the door without a drop of makeup on my face. I feel fine about it — until I catch a glimpse of my red, sweaty face in the mirror, or, fine, of that David Beckham look-alike lifting in the corner. Then, I wish I had a little mascara on.
So when I found out that Tarte was launching a line of "athleisure makeup," I was all about it. The line, which includes products like lightweight foundations with SPF and a blotting paper-powder combo, is meant to take you from barre to the bar. But the item that tickled my fancy the most was its new Lifted mascara. The formula is completely sweat-proof — in fact, the team over at Tarte tested it in actual sweat chambers to make sure it lives up to its name.
But I don't throw my weight behind a product until I've tested that sucker myself. So I put this mascara through the paces with a series of workouts: boxing, Zumba, Kangoo cardio, yoga, and good ol'-fashioned weight-lifting.
Before the first class, I went through my regular skin-care routine and then put on just the mascara. I was pleasantly surprised by the way this stuff applied. It isn't pure black, but more of a black-brown shade to look more natural, less Workout Barbie, and it really defines and separates each lash while leaving them flexible. It's kind of everything I've ever wanted in an everyday mascara. I was won over before the sweat session had even begun.
Boxing
The first class was one I had never tried, but always wanted to: boxing. After a quick warm-up, I strapped on my gloves and started beating on some punching bags. Aside from getting out some major aggression, I sweat my ass off. By the end of the class, I was pink in the face, but my mascara had stayed put. And when I washed my face at night, the mascara came off seamlessly — which is rare when it comes to budge-proof formulations. Kangoo Cardio
What is this, you ask? Oh, just a class that involves going for a jog with some trampolines strapped to your feet. I'm not kidding — the instructor hands out specialty boots with springs so your jog works out your butt. It was actually the only time I've ever enjoyed a run. But just because I felt like a kid again doesn't mean I didn't sweat — it's still cardio. Still, even with all the jumping, the mascara didn't budge. Yoga
After beating the hell out of my punching bag and hopping through a jog, I figured it was time to get in touch with my center. So I took a vinyasa yoga class, which is my favorite type of yoga. But I have this one issue with my flow: Once I start to get my heart rate up, tiny beads of sweat roll into my eyes during upright poses, causing my mascara to run, Lauren Conrad-style. But that didn't happen with the Lifted mascara. It stayed put — even when I accidentally rubbed my eye in downward-facing dog. Zumba
Let me be frank: I hate Zumba. Nothing makes me sweat like a beast while feeling like a suburban mom more than shaking my ass to some souped-up reggaeton music. I have no rhythm. I'm all elbows. So while I felt like a total idiot by the end of this class, I looked fabulous. I noticed for the first time that not only did the mascara stay put pigment-wise, but it also helped my lashes maintain their curl. This was bonkers to me, because the formula is so lightweight. Weight-Lifting
I finished the week with my usual workout: 30 minutes on the stationary bike followed by 40 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of stretching. I have to say — I felt a little better about myself looking in the mirror during my weight reps. The mascara helped me look less tired at 6:30 a.m., and it stayed put throughout my entire workout. When I go to the gym after work and am still wearing my makeup from the day, I usually wind up with raccoon eyes by the end of my workout. I saw none of that this time. Does anyone need makeup at the gym? Absolutely not — this is all about personal preference. But here's how I look at it: I'm already in an environment that sometimes makes me feel not-so-great about myself. So if popping on a mascara that I know will stay put helps me feel a little more confident while I'm lifting heavy objects over my head, then I'm all for it. Tarte Lifted Sweatproof Mascara, $21, available at Tarte.
The first class was one I had never tried, but always wanted to: boxing. After a quick warm-up, I strapped on my gloves and started beating on some punching bags. Aside from getting out some major aggression, I sweat my ass off. By the end of the class, I was pink in the face, but my mascara had stayed put. And when I washed my face at night, the mascara came off seamlessly — which is rare when it comes to budge-proof formulations. Kangoo Cardio
What is this, you ask? Oh, just a class that involves going for a jog with some trampolines strapped to your feet. I'm not kidding — the instructor hands out specialty boots with springs so your jog works out your butt. It was actually the only time I've ever enjoyed a run. But just because I felt like a kid again doesn't mean I didn't sweat — it's still cardio. Still, even with all the jumping, the mascara didn't budge. Yoga
After beating the hell out of my punching bag and hopping through a jog, I figured it was time to get in touch with my center. So I took a vinyasa yoga class, which is my favorite type of yoga. But I have this one issue with my flow: Once I start to get my heart rate up, tiny beads of sweat roll into my eyes during upright poses, causing my mascara to run, Lauren Conrad-style. But that didn't happen with the Lifted mascara. It stayed put — even when I accidentally rubbed my eye in downward-facing dog. Zumba
Let me be frank: I hate Zumba. Nothing makes me sweat like a beast while feeling like a suburban mom more than shaking my ass to some souped-up reggaeton music. I have no rhythm. I'm all elbows. So while I felt like a total idiot by the end of this class, I looked fabulous. I noticed for the first time that not only did the mascara stay put pigment-wise, but it also helped my lashes maintain their curl. This was bonkers to me, because the formula is so lightweight. Weight-Lifting
I finished the week with my usual workout: 30 minutes on the stationary bike followed by 40 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of stretching. I have to say — I felt a little better about myself looking in the mirror during my weight reps. The mascara helped me look less tired at 6:30 a.m., and it stayed put throughout my entire workout. When I go to the gym after work and am still wearing my makeup from the day, I usually wind up with raccoon eyes by the end of my workout. I saw none of that this time. Does anyone need makeup at the gym? Absolutely not — this is all about personal preference. But here's how I look at it: I'm already in an environment that sometimes makes me feel not-so-great about myself. So if popping on a mascara that I know will stay put helps me feel a little more confident while I'm lifting heavy objects over my head, then I'm all for it. Tarte Lifted Sweatproof Mascara, $21, available at Tarte.